An optical disc has a security feature in the form of an RFID tag that communicates with a voltage controlled optical modifier layer in the optical disc. In the presence of an interrogation signal, the RFID tag allows the optical disc to be used normally by outputting a voltage to the optical modifier layer. In the absence of an interrogation signal, the optical modifier layer prevents a laser from reading from or writing on the optical disc. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An optical disc, comprising: an RFID tag having a voltage output, wherein the RFID tag is responsive to a signal such that the voltage output changes based on the presence or absence of the signal; a content layer configured to have content encoded thereon; and a voltage controlled optical modifier layer associated with the content layer and the RFID tag and configured such that the voltage controlled optical modifier layer may prevent at least a portion of the content layer from being utilized by an optical disc player unless the signal has been applied to the RFID tag and the RFID tag has provided an appropriate voltage signal at the voltage output to the voltage controlled optical modifier layer.
2. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein the optical disc comprises an optical memory card.
3. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein the voltage controlled optical modifier layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal material, a piezoelectric material, and a controllable mirrored surface.
4. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein the RFID tag is configured to be responsive to a predefined data sequence before changing the voltage output.
5. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein the voltage controlled optical modifier layer comprises a material that is stable in two states, a first state in which the content layer is legible and a second state in which the content layer is illegible.
6. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein the optical disc comprises a disc selected from the group consisting of a DVD, an audio CD, a software CD, a CDRW, and a CD write once.
7. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein the RFID tag is responsive on a frequency band around a center frequency selected from the group consisting of 125 kHz, 13.56 MHz, 915 MHz, and 2450 MHz.
8. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein upon receipt of the signal, the RFID tag is configured to provide the appropriate voltage signal at the voltage output such that the voltage controlled optical modifier layer changes to another state indefinitely so that the content layer is legible.
9. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein the content layer comprises content-providing data for connecting to a remote location, wherein the content-providing data is accessible independently of whether the signal is present.
10. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein the voltage controlled optical modifier layer is configured to cause the content layer to be legible for a predetermined amount of time after exposure to the signal.
11. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein the RFID tag is configured to be responsive to an interrogation signal generated by an interrogator.
12. An optical device, comprising: a content-bearing medium; a photo-voltaic area; a voltage controlled optical modifier layer associated with the content-bearing medium and configured to prevent at least a portion of the content-bearing medium from being optically accessible; and a chip associated with the photo-voltaic area such that, in response to an attempt by an optical disc writer to write a specified code on the photo-voltaic area, the chip is configured to provide a voltage at a voltage output to the voltage controlled optical modifier layer that causes the voltage controlled optical modifier layer to allow the content-bearing medium to be optically accessed.
13. A controllable-use optical disc, comprising: a content layer configured to store content; a voltage controlled optical modifier layer associated with, but distinct from the content layer, wherein an optical characteristic of the voltage controlled optical modifier layer is configured to prevent at least a portion of the content layer from being accessed; and an RFID tag having a voltage output associated with the voltage controlled optical modifier layer, wherein the RFID tag is configured to receive a signal and, in response thereto, provide a voltage at the voltage output to the voltage controlled optical modifier layer that causes the optical characteristic to change temporarily to allow content in the content layer to be accessed.
14. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the RFID tag is configured to receive the signal from an interrogator in an optical disc player.
15. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the RFID tag is configured to receive the signal from an interrogator that operates independently from an optical disc player.
16. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the content layer is further configured to receive and store content if the RFID tag has received the signal and the optical characteristic has been changed.
17. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the content layer comprises software content that can be accessed if the RFID tag has received the signal and the optical characteristic has been changed.
18. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the content layer comprises audio content that can be accessed if the RFID tag has received the signal and the optical characteristic has been changed.
19. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 18 , wherein the optical disc is configured for use in a jukebox.
20. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the content layer comprises video content that can be accessed if the RFID tag has received the signal and the optical characteristic has been changed.
21. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the content layer comprises sensitive information that cannot be accessed unless the RFID tag has received the signal and the optical characteristic has been changed.
22. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the optical disc comprises an optical memory card.
23. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the voltage controlled optical modifier layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal material, a piezoelectric material, and a controllable mirrored surface.
24. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the RFID tag is further configured to be responsive to a data sequence in the signal and, in response thereto, provide the voltage at the voltage output that causes the optical characteristic to change.
25. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the voltage controlled optical modifier layer comprises a material that is configured to be stable in a first state in which the content layer cannot be accessed or a second state in which the content layer can be accessed.
26. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 25 , wherein the material is repeatedly switchable between the first and second states based on the voltage at the voltage output of the RFID tag.
27. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 25 , wherein upon receipt of the signal, the RFID tag is further configured to provide the voltage at the voltage output to cause the voltage controlled optical modifier layer to change from the first state to the second state indefinitely.
28. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the content layer comprises content that is accessible independently of whether the RFID tag has received the signal.
29. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the voltage controlled optical modifier layer is configured to allow the content in the content layer to be accessed for an amount of time after the RFID tag has provided the voltage at the voltage output.
30. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein the optical disc player is configured to generate the signal applied to the RFID tag.
31. The optical disc of claim 1 , wherein the signal applied to the RFID tag is generated in response to an authorization received from a remote location.
32. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the signal received by the RFID tag is generated in response to an authorization received from a remote location.
33. The controllable-use optical disc of claim 13 , wherein the RFID tag is further configured to receive a data sequence causing the RFID tag to accept commands and, in response to an accepted command, provide the voltage at the voltage output that causes the optical characteristic to change temporarily to allow content in the content layer to be accessed.
34. The optical device of claim 12 , wherein the photo-voltaic area is configured to provide a data input to the chip based on the specified code written by the optical disc writer.
35. The optical device of claim 34 , wherein the chip is configured to evaluate the data input and, if the data input is correct, provide the voltage at the voltage output.
36. The optical device of claim 12 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting an interrogation signal to the chip in conjunction with the optical disc writer attempting to write the specified code on the photo-voltaic area.
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August 31, 2006
August 4, 2009
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